burton



UNITED STATES PATN OFFIO O. F. BURTON, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.. ASSIGXOR TOHIMSELF AND M. H. HOVEY, OF SAME PLACE.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specicaton of Letters Patent No. 29,542, dated August 7, 1860.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR F. BURTON, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented a new and Improved Fire- Escape; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming apart of this specification, in which- Figure l, is a longitudinalvertical section of my invention, when the ladders are elevated andready for use. Fig. 2, is a side elevation of the same when the laddersare down.

Similar letters of reference in both views indicate corresponding parts.

This invention consists in connecting the ladders with each other andwith the two trucks in such a manner that by pushing the trucks togetherthe ladders are elevated, and pushing the trucks apart the ladders arelowered; and also in arranging the trucks with circular platforms whichproj ect beyond the sides of the wheels and which form the guides forthe rings to which the pivots are secured which form the bearings forthe lower ends of the ladders, thereby forming a good and substantialbasis for the ladders, and at the same time allowing the trucks to turn,independently of the ladders.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe its construction and operation with reference to thedrawing.

The two ladders A A, are connected by pivots a', which are firmlysecured in the sides of the ladder A', and which work in loops a,attached to the edge of the beams of the ladder A. The distance of theivots and loops from the lower ends of the ladders may be more or less,according to the length of the ladders and to the inclination which theyare intended to receive, and according to the size of the trucks towhich the ladders are to be attached. The lower ends of the ladders aremade wider than theirl upper portion, and they are attached to rings B,B, by means of pivots b, b as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The rings B, B,rest on the trucks C, C, which are provided with circular platforms o,c', which are supported from the axles of the .wheels D, D, and whichform the guides for the rings B, B. Small hooks or lips, overlapping theedge of the rings may be attached to the platforms, in

order to keep the rings more secure. By these means the rings are heldstationary by the ladders, while the platforms with the wheels and draftpoles are allowed to turn in either direction, so that the ladders,whether elevated or lowered, can be carried to any place. The platformsat the same time give suiiicient room for the firemen to work upon andby making the lower end of the ladders sufficiently wide to embrace therings B, B, and by giving to these rings a pretty large diameter, thewheels of the trucks can be brought sufliciently far apart to givesteadiness and firmness to the whole apparatus. An additional ladder E,is hinged to the ladder A, near to its upper end and a hose may beattached to the ladders A and E, as shown in red outlines in Fig. 2, sothat the former on reaching the top of the ladder, can play on the firewithout delay.

The ladders A, A', are elevated by pulling the two trucks C, O, togetherand this operation is facilitated by a windlass F, which is secured onthe top of the ring B, and which connects by means of a rope d, with ahook e, that is secured to the rino` B. After the ladders A, A, areelevated by forcing the two trucks together, the additional ladder E, israised, which operation may be facilitated by a rope f, and the positionof the ladders is now strengthened by ropes g g, and guy-ropes 7L, whichare attached to the sides of the ladder A, serve to steady the wholewhile the men are at work. The rope, g', serves at the same time toassist in lowering the ladder E. After the ladders have been elevated, abracket F, may be secured to the rope f, for the purpose of letting downchildren or infirm persons.

In order to lower the ladders the additional ladder E, is first hauledin and the trucks are now removed from each other, until the ladders A,A, sink down on the standards z', z', which are secured to the rings B,B, and the whole apparatus is now in such a condition that it canreadily be carried into an engine house, or in any other place forshelter.

This machine is very strong and durable, it can not easily get out oforder, and it is easily handled with but very little experience.

I-Iaving thus fully described my invention, what I claim as neW anddesire to se constructed and operating substantially as cure by LettersPatent, is; and for the purpose set forth.

l. Combining the ladders A, A,Witli each 3. The Combination of thecircular platother, and with the trucks C, C', substanforms o, c, of thetrucks, With the rings 5 tially in the manner herein described so thatB, B', substantially as and for the purpose 15 by pulling the trucksclose up together, the speoied.

ladders are elevated, and by pushing the O. F. BURTGN. trucks apart, theladders are lowered. Vitnesses:

2. The arrangement of the rings B, B. in J. F. BUGKLEY,

10 combination With the hinged ladders A, 7. HAUFF.

